Statement by the President on Mutual Security and the Cost of Waging Peace.

I HAVE a special statement to make on America's security and on waging peace.

The free nations of the world are under constant attack by international Communism. This attack is planned on a broad front and carefully directed. Its ultimate goal is world domination.

Against the pressures of international Communism, free world security can be achieved only by a practical solidarity of opposition by the nations each, according to its ability, carrying its necessary portion of the entire burden.

This is what mutual security really means.

To support this program, started a decade ago, the American people have given needed assistance to others. As a direct consequence, during recent years the free world has been able to deny any new territorial expansion to Communism.

In spite of occasional human errors in administering the details of the program, the overall results speak for themselves. The aggressive purposes of the Kremlin have been foiled, and there has been gradually developed in the free world a greater spiritual, economic and military strength as a foundation for efforts to win a just peace.

Now, needed financial reserves have sunk below the safe minimum. In spite of this danger signal, the House Appropriations Committee has taken action that seriously endangers our security. We need more ammunition to wage the peace.

A careful estimate of this year's needs was made after prolonged study. It fixed the necessary total at approximately three billion nine hundred million dollars. The sum proposed by the Appropriations Committee is more than 20 percent lower than the estimate. This is taking reckless risks with our safety.

The cut will dismay our friends in Latin America, in Asia, in Africa, and in the Middle East--every nation that is standing at our side in this world wide effort.

It is my deep conviction that reductions of a size contemplated by the Committee will have grave consequences in portions of the free world, and to our nation's security--and will encourage Communist imperialists. Our people must understand this.

Regardless of the many and mounting billions that we spend for our own military forces, those forces cannot alone achieve our security. Friendly nations must be ready and able to stand by our side to present a solid front in the defense of freedom. We have this choice:

Stand up and be counted, live up to our ideals and purposes, and assume the responsibilities that are ours;

Or, shrug our shoulders, say that freedom for others has no significance for us, is therefore no responsibility of ours, and so let international Communism gain the ultimate victory. The choice is clear for me.

I stand for American security, to be attained and sustained by cooperation with our friends of the free world. I am certain the American people will demand nothing less.